


Weight of the World

by pennysparrow



Series: Cassiestephkara Week 2017 [4]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), DCU (Comics), Supergirl (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 06:44:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11053488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennysparrow/pseuds/pennysparrow
Summary: Steph has spent all her energy trying to save Gotham and it doesn't seem to have done any good.





	Weight of the World

**Author's Note:**

> Cassiestephkara week Day 4 prompt was Hug (Angst) so I hope this is ok, I'm not really one to write angst.

The night had been a long one, even for Steph who was more used to long nights than any one person should be. She had been helping with the evacuation and getting the injured to a medic tent on the outskirts of the city. Gotham looked like a warzone, no worse. Even the gang wars had not left the city in such disrepair, that she knew of at least.

Bruce had rescinded his “no metas” rule for the situation was so dire. The League and Titans immediately arrived to give as much help as they could. Gotham was falling and her heroes could not do anything to save her.

Every child she herded, every pet abandoned in the streets broke her heart as she rushed between the smoking ruins of apartment buildings looking for survivors. Her purple accents and the yellow bat on her chest was the only spots of color in the rubble. When the comm in her ear buzzed she was so used tuning out the maneuvers being planned for the actual fighters and the numbers of wounded and movements of emergency personal that Steph didn’t even pause to listen until she heard Oracle say her name.

She had missed the message entirely and stopped next to a crater that used to be a local coffee shop. Taping her ear Steph activated her mic. “I’m sorry O, I didn’t catch that. Can you repeat?”

“Batgirl we’re pulling you out of the field. Wonder Girl and Supergirl are en route to pick you up and return you to the cave.” Came Oracle’s cool reply.

“That’s not necessary, I’m-” She started to argue but was cut off.

“You’ve been out for close to sixteen hours. You need rest.” Steph was momentarily surprised to hear Bruce’s voice but she guessed if they were sending Cassie and Kara to get her the fight must be over and reinforcements and emergency crews would be coming to finish cleanup.

Sighing she sank into a crouch, staring blankly at the store front. She vaguely remembered going there with Tim, Cass, Harper, and Cullen once. Suddenly the weight of the night was too much for her to bear and she found herself collapsed in a heap in the middle of the road, sobs racking her body.

Savagely she pulled her gloves off and threw them to the ground next to her. With her still clean hands she swiped at the tears and snot that was now streaming down her face. Years of training was the only thing that kept her from ripping her cowl off to better wipe at her eyes.

A distant part of her registered the sound of people behind her but the dam she had been patching all night had finally broke inside her. Nothing matter right now except her home was in ruins and she could do nothing to help it. That even Batgirl was not enough.

Arms wrapped around her and she felt someone kneeling on either side of her, murmuring nonsense as she continued to cry. Red fabric was pressed into her hands and she used it to dry her tears and violently blow her nose. Now someone was gently rubbing her back as she hiccupped.

Steph blinked at Cassie and Kara as they continued to hold her. She sunk into their embrace. “Sorry about your cape,” she mumbled to Kara.

“It’s ok. You need it right now and I don’t,” the other girl whispered.

Cassie began working on the tangles in Steph's now dirt-filled blonde hair. “You tell us when you’re ready and we’ll head back to the cave. Oracle said Penny-One has hot food and fresh clothes waiting for you.”

Steph nodded but made no move to get up. “I just- I can’t. Gotham…”

“Shhh. You did so much good tonight hon,” Kara hushed her.

“You single handily evacuated all of Coventry and most of the Upper West Side. There are a lot of people who are safe and unharmed because of you.” Cassie said, awe tinting her voice.

Steph gulped. “I guess. I just wish I could have done more.” She pulled Kara’s cape back to her face and blew her nose again.

“You did way more than enough. You’re the real hero here, Batgirl.” Kara smiled, pride practically radiating off her like the sun she derived her powers from.

“All we’ve been doing is trying to keep more debris from falling. You’ve been out here way longer and doing significantly more.” Cassie kissed her cheek and Steph twitched the corner of her mouth up at them.

After a few more minutes on the ground wrapped in their embrace Steph nodded. “I’m ready to go home now,” she whispered into the hush that had fallen over the city. The other two girls helped her to her feet and then Kara scooped Steph up into her arms. Cassie bent to grab the discarded gloves before they took off out of the ruined city toward the untouched suburbs of Bristol.


End file.
